Academics launch Irish Association for Primary Science Education
Posted on: 14 November 2019
Academics from Trinity, Dublin City University, Queen’s University Belfast, NUI Maynooth, Marino Institute of Education, Mary Immaculate College, St. Mary’s University College Belfast and Stranmillis University College have collaborated to launch the Irish Association for Primary Science Education (IAPSE).
IAPSE will promote the teaching and learning of science in primary schools throughout the island of Ireland.
The group launched at an event entitled Combating Climate Change: Irish Primary Schools, which was held at Dublin City University’s Institute of Education during Science Week (10 – 17 November).
The aim of the event was to inform, enable and empower adults working with children and young people in formal and informal education settings to take action and become climate change and sustainability champions.
Professor Colette Murphy from the School of Education in Trinity, and member of the IAPSE Committee, said:
The launch of IAPSE underlines the importance of inspiring and engaging children and their teachers in science and the world around us. IAPSE will support and promote this venture!
IAPSE was officially launched at the event by Mr Tomás ó Ruairc, Director of the Teaching Council of Ireland. He talked about the importance of collaboration of this sort, saying we should be: “…seeking to talk with teachers in a spirit of mutually collaborative inquiry, and that, I think, has to be key.”
Professor Jenny McElwain, Chair of Botany in Trinity, gave an excellent presentation on climate change over many thousands of years. She introduced a citizen science project, which she and her colleagues are developing, to be run in all Irish primary schools.The project is investigating new ways of reducing the amount of carbon being released into the air.
For more information on the IAPSE, please visit Facebook (@IrishPriSci) and follow on Twitter (@Irish_PriSci).